"Winner of the 1999 Whitbread First Novel Award" it states on the cover of the book, beneath the title it states a quote from Sunday Times: "This year's most sizzling fictional debut". Looking at the back of the book, more quotes about the book. Inside the book, even more praise for the book. Many people have written good words about this book, and they were all damn right about it: it is a really good book, and an excellent first novel from Tim Lott. Frankie Blue, Frankie the Fib to his friends, has reached the age of 30. His old friends; Tony, Nodge and Colin, still plays an important role in his life. Not to mention the important day of 14th of August, the day when nothing can keep them separated. However, this year of 1998 something changes, something very horrible happends......Frankie decides to get married. His friends are, not very suprisingly, not that thrilled about the whole event. Moreover, Veronica, the woman in Frankies life, plants some doubt in his mind; how good friends are Tony, Nodge, Colin....really? Perhaps they are not friends at all, perhaps they are only hanging out together out of old habit, perhaps they don't care at all about him....perhaps he don't care about them? This year many turning points and unexpected directions will take place in Frankies life, will his friends be with him at the end of the year...will Veronica be with him......and what about the 14th of August? What about the magical celebration each year of the long ago magical 14th August 1984? This book, that takes place in London, is excellent reading, a book about friendship and how it changes over years, a book in the same style as for example Nick Earls' ZigZag street....it's really funny and highly amusing!
